Working under contract to EDFE (Now UK Power Networks) I was responsible for the total Project Management of a portfolio of projects valued between £750k and £11m spread across East Anglia
on the EDFE 33kV & 132kV networks. These project works encompassed the overall management of three principal contractors Babcock Networks, Carillion Utility Services and Freedom Group as well
as other support personnel both internal and external to EDFE.

The Project Manager’s role within EDFE involves taking the project from inception through to operational use and is inclusive of all the P.M. functions within that set criteria.
In this role I also acted as the CDM Client, on all projects within my portfolio, in addition to managing and supporting the CDM design function of these complex projects.

All work was carried out under Option C of the NEC3 Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) which was authored and managed by the responsible Project Manager assigned to the
specific project, who acted as an approving officer within the constraints of the budget. Developed the project implementation programme of the various projects using MS Project to level 3

Some of the more complex or difficult projects that I handled as Project Manager during this period were:

Upgrading of the Sundon - South Bedford (POA) 132kV Dual Circuit Towerline - Line re-inforcement and new supply to the new Bedford 132kV/33kV Grid site at St Neots.

This towerline is one of the oldest in the UK and was constructed in the early 1930s, the conductor size was 175mm Lynx and much of the route crossed or paralleled the M1 in Befordshire.
Route length 31km, Budget £11m
This planned 5 year upgrade project was already 3 years behind schedule when I was given it. No construction plan was in place and there was very little done on the feasability study
although much of the wayleave work was completed.
The initial plan was to replace the existing 'Malone' and 'grid plate' foundations with the standard foundation, re-inforce the steel towers and install 300mm UPAS conductor,
to provide a reliable supply system for the 35 years planned growth of the network.
Due to time constraints, the age of the existing steel structures and the existing foundations it was agreed that the existing project objectives could not be met.

With the support of others I successfully championed an alternative plan of re-inforcing the existing foundations with a a mini-pile soloution and installing a lighter non-standard 250mm conductor
that would provide for 30 years of planned growth. The implementation stage of the project commenced in January 2009 and was completed 30 weeks later, three months ahead of the planned energisation
of the new 132kV/33kV Grid site.

The mini-pile soloution was provided by SPEI France. As part of my supporting arguments I arranged a visit for a team from EDFE, Babcock Networks and myself to Toulouse (France) to see the system
and the installers at work. The same teams that we observed arrived in the UK with their equipment and carried out the work with great success. Mini-piling is now an accepted foundation option employed by this DNO.

The use of the 250mm conductor has given Network Planners and Designers another conductor option in their 'Conductor Standards' where there was none between 175mm & 250mm previously.

During the course of this project my project team replaced 1 intermediate tower, installed 2 new section towers to raise the clearance over the new A421 (M1 - St Neots Link)and installed
a Section Cable Gantry Tower for the new Marston 132kV/33kV Grid site connection.
Route length 31km, Budget £11m

Shortly after this project was completed the Highways Authority commissioned EDFE to move 8 towers that paralleled the M1 (between J12 & J13) to allow the installation of new overhead road gantries. To complete this diversion
work my project team installed 9 new towers using mini-pile foundations. This work was completed late 2009.

Mini Pile Foundations used on the POA Line

Film is approx. 71/2minutes long

Overlay of the 2 x 33kV Dual Overhead Line Circuits between Ipswich Cliff Quay and Nacton Village - Replacing two dual circuit woodpole O/H lines with 4 x 33kV U/G cables circuits.
Project involved the installation of four (3 x 33kV Single Core) cable circuits to replace the existing two dual circuit (H-Pole) 33kV
Overhead line Feeder circuits to Felixstowe. To accommodate future network expansion the project team also installed additional ducting for four more 33kV and two 132kV Circuits. The route passed through a dedicated wetland
and countrysidepark area as well as crossing over watercourses and road infrastructure. Due to the makeup of the ground directional drilling was not a viable option and as a result the route was open cut all the way.
This work was carried out by Carillion Utility Services one of many they successfully carried out in my project portfolio.
Once the new circuits had been installed and over a two month period we transferred each of the old circuits to the new system before Freedom began dismantling the old now redundant O/H lines.

Like all Major Network Projects it was fraught with the usual challenges, safety, weather, terrain & environmental considerations, numerous land owners and local & national authorities, planned Network Outages, etc, etc, but my Project Team
rose to the occasion at all times.
Route length 9km, Budget £5m

Replacement of Dual Circuit 33kV Towerline with 33kV Underground cables through SSSI site in Colchester
A relatively simple Network Upgrade project that took more time in the planning than the execution. The route had to be negotiated around several areas of environmental and historical interest.
One section of the route had to be Directionally Drilled to cross an environmentally sensitive watercourse.
The whole area was a designated parlkand area and had to be guarded against public intrusion throughout the route.
Route length 3km, Budget £750k

132kV Cable Diversion - Ipswich Town Centre, Suffolk. Diversion and replacement of 2 x 132kV Oil filled cables. 3 core PILCA to s/c polymeric transition joints employed
One of the most difficult Cable jobs that I have been personally involved in, with each metre of the 3km route having its own challenges. The work had to be done at night and on Bank Holidays because
of imposed traffic restictions and Ipswich Council agreements. We removed an old redundant railway line on one section of the route, replacing it with Highway Standard Road. Every type of open cut excavation method had to be employed including
vacuum excavation throughout the route (Directional Drilling not an option). All of the excavated spoil had to be removed and replaced with new sand and aggregates.
One of the Transition Joint Holes had to be constantly pumped because of water egress from the River Orwell. We crossed road intersections filled with a vast array of other services including fibre-optics.
In addition to the above we had to install a new additional oil filling system to continue feeding the oil-filled 132kV that remained in service at one end of the diversion.

All of these challenges were met by my Carillion Team and myself even though we all spent many sleepless nights and days on this project. At the end we delivered a good project with Zero injuries and no service strikes.
Route length 3km, Budget £3m

Installation of 2 x 33kV cable circuits to new Data Centre - Basildon, Essex New 33kV supply to new data centre, road crossing of A130 using a 1m diameter Auger Bore
The most difficult part of this job was the crossing of the A130, road or lane closure was not an option. In the end we opted for a 1M Diameter Auger Bore and installed 18 ducts of various sizes within a steel pipe
that then had its voids filled with concrete. The extra ducts allowed for future expansion and for the installation of customer fibre-optics coming from Central London.
The route came out of the 132kV Grid site and crossed under the A130, then followed the road before splitting to enter the site from two directions to feed the two new 33kV Primarys that had been built for the site.
To ensure security of supply to this important Data Center we had to install the two circuits at different below ground levels
maintaining a minimum of 1 metre clearance both horizontally and vertically (except under the A130 Xing) otherwise we would have had to excavate two separate routes.
Route length 2.5km, Budget £1.3m

Replacement of 33kV Overhead Line with 33kV Underground Cables - Fakenham, Norfolk Diversion of O/H line over fishing lakes.
A difficult job due to the terrain and the weather conditions encountered at the start of the job. Due to the environmental considerations we were restricted to carrying out the work during the spring or summer,
which added to the problems of natural water ingress from the adjacent fishing lakes.
Route length 2km, Budget £500k

Projects awaiting Construction Stage to commence at time of departure.

Sundon - Leighton Buzzard 33kV Replacement Scheme. Scheme involved the replacement of 2 X 33kV O/H line plus the instalation of a 3rd. circuit. Underground cables at the start and end of the route.
Route length 35km, Budget £4m

Junction 11A Major Infrastructure Scheme (M1 - A5 new Link Road & Interchange Scheme), Sundon, LutonReconfiguration of all electrical infrastructure to facilitate the installation of the new Junction 11A
Interchange on the M1 and along the proposed route of the new M1 - A5 Link Road.

This was going to be the largest Major Projects Scheme ever carried out by the EDF Energy Networks. Utilising EDFE Networks Principal Contrators under my control.
The Highways Authority J11A (M1 - A5 Link Road) Scheme was shelved in August 2010 but is now being revitalised in 2015
The scheme involved the replacement of the following :-

Removal of a section of the Dual Circuit 132kV Towerline (PBA) out of Sundon Grid with a two replacement 132kV Underground Cable circuits. Route length 3.5km

Diversion of the Dual Circuit 132kV Towerline (PVA) out of Sundon Grid. Installation of 4 new towers in different locations and transfer of overhead conductors. Route length 3.5km

As the Principal Utility involved in the HA Scheme, I was the Chair and Lead of the Joint Utility Liaison Group which comprised of the respective water, gas, telecommuncations and other utilities
that were present in the area affected by the planned construction works. This involved co-ordinating methodoligies and route planning across the various groups.
It was formally agreed that EDFE and my Project Team would at as the CDM Principal Contractor and controller of all activities within the area.

Click here to access the Outline Strategy Plan for carrying out this scheme that was proposed by myself.
This draft proposal was accepted by EDF Energy Networks, Babcock Networks, Carillion and Freedom as a workable soloution to this £40m scheme.
Other Project Achievements.
In January 2010 I was selected to represent the Capital Programme on the Networks 1st Initiative.
This initiative was set up to develop new ways of managing the business and as part of this scheme I submitted two strategic proposals which are being developed for implementation across the business.

This project assignmant involved in the preparation of a radio-controlled switchgear installation project, to be carried out in Ghana for ECG (Electricity Company of Ghana).
The work involved the planning of the project along with the logistics of transporting the project materials from the UK to Ghana. In this role I also acted as the Project Engineer and
also SME (Subject Matter Expert) for this large project as well as the other planned projects in Kenya and Nigeria.
The purchase contracts for the Lucy equipment dictated a 'turnkey' delivery and the initial plan was for me to take up residence on site in Ghana for the implementation stage of the
project but Lucy management and I could not finally agree acceptable renumeration terms.

Jul 06 - April 07
British Power International - Consultant Engineer, East & S.E.England (CONTRACT)

Carried out a variety of consultancy work, on behalf of BPI (now part of the Freedom Group). This work included carrying out authoring technical manuals for EDF Energy Networks (UK)
and other electricity distribution companies. Creating safe working practice and training manuals for numerous civil contractors carrying out work for UK based utilites.

During this period I also took on the role of Project Management and supervision of sub-contractors. One assignment I acted as an Authorised Person and site manager on a project involved
in the installation of satellite controlled monitoring and control switching systems located within EDFE’s 11kV, 33kV and 132kV Grid sites. Authorised by EDFE, to issue Limitation of Access (LOA) Safety Documents.

Carried out a short term contract on behalf of BPI for EDF Energy Networks Major Projects formerly 24/7 (Eastern Electricity).
Work involved the on-site auditing of workplace safety, workforce behavioural safety, environmental practices and safety related documentation.
Advised and tutored on hazard identification, risk assessment and the implications of C.D.M. to their site based staff throughout East Anglia.

Achievement. The Project resulted in a well-received report that was delivered to the UK based senior management of the EDF Group for setting
out their future strategic and tactical option plan for safety out on site.

Worked on behalf of Eastern Electricity in the maintenance & refurbishment of their 11Kv. Network in Norfolk.
Responsible for the overall management and development of the Power Division in the Eastern Region, including the creation of Method Statements and procedures.

Achievement. Organised the establishment and staffing of a regional office in Norwich to control and manage the project.

1987 - 1993
Field Manager, Eastern Electricity, Ipswich.

Responsibilities included:- The management of a skilled workforce (16 - 40 staff) covering five disciplines: - O/H Linesmen, Cable Jointers, Electrical Plant Fitters, Civil Trades,
Cable Laying Operatives as well as Contractors. The planning, scheduling and organisation of large and small distribution network jobs both in-house and for customers.
Carried out the role of Authorised Person (AP) on the HV & LV Systems.
Achievements:- - Obtained an H.N.C. in Electrical & Electronic Engineering. Improved customer relations. Assisted in the implementation of ‘In-house’ computer system.
Improved working conditions of the Emergency Standby teams, thus reducing system outage time and staff hours. Increased productivity by developing and introducing new working practices.